SLLBTT Chapter 48
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 48⊱⊷⋇
"Is the abbot not bald?" Liu Jiao remembered the abbot's shining head and felt puzzled. "Are you sure?"
The goose demon affirmed confidently, "Absolutely sure, plenty of hair, almost needs combing."
Liu Jiao was greatly surprised. "But the abbot I know is bald!"
The goose demon said, "Maybe he just changed his hairstyle! A shaved head is easy to manage and saves money on shampoo. The abbot is so frugal. It suits him."
The Snow Wolf King thought for a moment and asked, "When did the abbot hire you to guard the gate?"
The goose demon pondered and said, "It's been quite a few years. I can't recall exactly how many, but it should be around the time this hole in the wall appeared. The abbot noticed the opening but initially didn't care. However, thieves started using it, causing him a headache. Still, he didn't want to spend much fixing it. So, he started giving me a little money each month to stand guard."
The Snow Wolf King also noticed many parts of the Temple of Heavenly Emperor in disrepair, suspecting that the abbot had diverted a considerable amount of repair funds.
After the goose demon finished speaking, he added, "Anything else you want to ask?"
The Snow Wolf King asked, "How often do you see the abbot then?"
"I saw him once several years ago. Since then, he just transfers money directly, no need for face-to-face meetings. If there's anything, his subordinates contact me."
The Snow Wolf King nodded. "Have there been any unusual occurrences recently?"
"Nothing at all. I guard this place like a hawk, handle the money professionally."
The Snow Wolf King continued, "Has anyone tried to bribe you, allowing them to pass through here?"
"Oh, yes!" the goose demon answered, "It's you guys!"
The Snow Wolf King thought for a moment and said to the goose demon, "Has the abbot sent the money this month?"
"Not yet! I was just about to ask. But it seems something's wrong at the temple. They're on high alert. If I don't hear from them in a couple of days, I might go on strike. After all, my brothers need to eat!" Then, he glanced at them and added, "I can tell you're from the temple. Do you know what major event has happened there?"
The assassination attempt of the Snow Wolf King was kept under wraps. The Temple of Heavenly Emperor was put on lockdown, preventing the news from leaking out. Even these goose demons who had been guarding the wall were unaware of what had happened.
The Snow Wolf King looked at the goose demon, shook his head, and said, "I don't know either."
"Tsk," the goose demon shook his head, "Honk honk honk, not a real friend."
"Didn't you say we can only be friends for five minutes? Time's probably about up."
The goose demon coldly said, "Fine, be careful next time. If you run into us again, you'll have to pay extra!" With that, the goose demons honked away.
Watching them leave, the Snow Wolf King turned to Ah Ye and Da Huangya. "You two go back to the temple and inform the Chief Investigator about the goose demons."
Da Huangya, still thinking about his personal grudge with the goose demons, said, "Great King, I'm not sure if this goose demon is trustworthy! Maybe he didn't tell the truth? Should we interrogate him a bit?"
The Snow Wolf King laughed. "Didn't I ask you to find the Chief Investigator?"
Da Huangya tentatively said, "Are you suggesting...?"
"A cultured and noble-minded person stays far away from the kitchen. Matters of coercion and bloodshed are best left to the professionals."
The Snow Wolf King spoke calmly, but Da Huangya couldn't help but shiver.
The Snow Wolf King added, "Alright, you two go back. The Chief Investigator will fulfill your wishes. I'll continue searching for clues with Commander Liu."
"Understood, Great King," Da Huangya and Ah Ye replied and headed back to the temple. Indeed, upon hearing the news, the investigator sent a Bear Guard to capture the group of goose demons. Watching the Bear Guard effortlessly lift a big goose by its neck, Da Huangya and Ah Ye were left wide-eyed in amazement.
"Looks clumsy most of the time... but so fierce..." Da Huangya muttered quietly.
Ah Ye, however, said, "Our Master is the same, isn't he?"
"True..."
It seemed fierce beasts often didn't appear very clever.
The Chief Investigator asked, "Do you two want to interrogate them together?"
Da Huangya, initially eager for revenge on the goose demon, now felt a bit softened seeing them being carried away. He said, "I think they're just ordinary demons, not evil ones. Master, you won't harm them, will you?"
"Are you kidding?" the Chief Investigator replied, "I strictly adhere to the law, absolutely no harsh interrogation unless necessary."
"Necessary?" Da Huangya shivered, "What do you mean?"
The Chief Investigator smiled, appearing kind and benevolent.
Da Huangya couldn't help but feel terrified.
Meanwhile, the Snow Wolf King had already led Liu Jiao out of the woods and into the bustling streets. The area was lively and vibrant, and Liu Jiao, who hadn't been out for a long time, seemed lost in awe.
Gazing into the sea of people, Liu Jiao said in confusion, "Where are we going?"
"First, let's eat," the Snow Wolf King said, "then we can watch a movie."
Liu Jiao asked, "Aren't we supposed to be investigating a case?"
"Do you want to eat or not?"
"Eat."
After all, one must eat when it was time to eat.
"Do you know any good places to eat around here?"
"I've never been outside, how would I know?" Liu Jiao shook his head in confusion. "Shouldn't we check a review app?"
"How about we go to the most expensive one?"
Liu Jiao thought for a moment. "No." He probably still remembered spending half a million in a month. Liu Jiao continued, "I think a restaurant doesn't have to be expensive to be good."
The Snow Wolf King nodded. "I heard there's a good local bun shop."
The Snow Wolf King and Liu Jiao navigated through the crowded streets and alleys, moving effortlessly, until they reached a narrow lane. Since it wasn't mealtime, the bun shop wasn't too crowded. The shop owner, a human, was sitting on the side, dozing off. Not bothering to get up, he acknowledged the Snow Wolf King's order for a few baskets of signature meat buns. The owner simply replied with a casual "Sure" and went about his business.
Liu Jiao took a breath, the air filled with the aroma of food and steam from the bamboo steamers, warming his chest.
"I haven't been to such a lively place in ages!" Liu Jiao exclaimed happily. "These small eateries are the best."
The Snow Wolf King, with a smile in his eyes, asked, "Why do you prefer small places?"
"Feels more relaxed in small eateries. In big ones, it's a bit formal. In these small spots, you can do whatever you want."
The Snow Wolf King chuckled. "So, what do you want to do now?"
Liu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "I want to invite Jiao'er to join us."
The Snow Wolf King didn't expect Liu Jiao to say that. Suddenly, he remembered the time Liu Jiao first arrived at the Temple of Heavenly Emperor, and he called out "Jiao'er" on the phone. The Snow Wolf King frowned. "No."
"Why not?" Liu Jiao asked, puzzled.
The Snow Wolf King replied, "A date involves two people. Three people, and it might turn into a crime scene."
Liu Jiao, incredibly surprised, said, "We're on a date? I thought we were investigating a case."
"Investigating the case is the investigator's job," the Snow Wolf King smiled. "Does he collect a salary only to make me do his work?"
Liu Jiao thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "True."
Once the buns were ready, Liu Jiao suddenly remembered, "Didn't you say we were going out today to find clues?"
"Finding clues can also be a date. We've already found leads from the goose demon, right? That counts as progress."
Saying this, the Snow Wolf King stuffed a bun into Liu Jiao's mouth.
Liu Jiao frowned. "I don't eat veggies."
"These are meat buns."
"I only eat meat."
The Snow Wolf King had to tear open the bun, scoop out the steaming meat filling with a small porcelain spoon, cool it down, and feed it to Liu Jiao spoon by spoon.
Liu Jiao chewed and commented, "The meat filling is quite tasty."
"The meat buns here are famous."
"Why not just sell the filling?" Liu Jiao wondered. "The foreskin isn't delicious."
The Snow Wolf King cleared his throat and said, "Speak politely. It's called bun dough."
Liu Jiao nodded and obediently repeated, "Bun——dough."
Liu Jiao, looking at the torn bun dough, said, "But what about this dough?"
The Snow Wolf King ate the dough and said, "I eat it, that's what."
"How... how can I let you eat the leftover dough?"
The Snow Wolf King smiled and said, "It's fine."
Liu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "True, dogs eat anything, right?"
The Snow Wolf King laughed, "Indeed, I eat anything. It's you who's picky."
Liu Jiao felt a bit embarrassed. "It's not like that..."
"But it's okay," the Snow Wolf King said, "I don't have such concerns. For me, preventing food wastage is more important."
Liu Jiao was somewhat surprised. "Great King, being so noble and enjoying a luxurious life, still values conserving food?"
"As the ruler of the nation, I should cherish everything more than anyone else," the Snow Wolf King replied with a smile. "It's the duty of a Great King."
Liu Jiao, puzzled, thought for a moment and said, "I used to hear people say that you're the most prestigious figure in the entire Northern Kingdom, commanding everything effortlessly. Now that I'm with you, I find that you're not as straightforward. You don't get everything you want."
"That's a superficial view. As a ruler, as long as I moderate my desires, I can still attain what I want," the Snow Wolf King said calmly. "I always exercise self-restraint in many situations."
Liu Jiao carefully observed the Snow Wolf King and indeed felt that he was a person with a strong sense of self-control.
The Snow Wolf King smiled gently at him. "You, too. You can have whatever you want."
"Really?" Liu Jiao was surprised.
"I'll do my best," the Snow Wolf King said with a light smile, then fed Liu Jiao another bite of meat filling.
Liu Jiao bit into the meat, swallowed, and saw the Snow Wolf King eating the dough. After swallowing it, the Snow Wolf King took a sip of tea and asked, "What do you want now?"
With a smile, the Snow Wolf King said, "Still want to see Leng Jiao?"
"Ah?" Liu Jiao had long forgotten about that and simply replied, "No... didn't you say adding one more person to a date makes it a crime?"
In reality, Liu Jiao didn't quite understand this logic either. But he recalled a horror movie he watched a few days ago. There was a haunted cinema where if the number of people going to watch a movie was odd, a malevolent demon would sit next to the solitary person and eventually kill them, ensuring an even number of people. When Liu Jiao mentioned this movie to Leng Jiao during a phone call, Lenghiao commented, "Does this ghost have 'even-number compulsion'?"
Thinking about this, Liu Jiao found it amusing and chuckled.
Seeing Liu Jiao smiling, the Snow Wolf King asked, "What's so funny?"
Liu Jiao smiled and said, "I just remembered Leng Jiao..."
The Snow Wolf King felt a bit unhappy, but he didn't say anything. He took a strong bite of the bun. The Snow Wolf King didn't offer to feed Liu Jiao the meat filling, subtly indicating his displeasure.